Deep well pump



Nov.10, 1936. i RSFILLMORE 2,060,493

DEEP WELL PUMP Filed. May l5, 1935 2 Sheets-Shea?l l NQV. 10, 1936. R, S, F|| MORE 2,060,493

DEEP WELL PUMP Filed May l5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f" 47 l jrpzerzar:

Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES etnias FATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in deep well pumps and more particularly to a pumping unit which is adapted to be operated at the bottom of a casing lined well and by the rotary movement of a tube in the well through which uicl is expelled, such movement being imparted to the tubing at the surface of the ground. More particularly a feature of my improvement resides in the disposition of the rotary tubing eccentrically to the axis of a housing which is disposed concentrically with the casing on the lower end of the tubing, whereby the rotary movement of the tubing is converted into transverse reciprocating movement of a pumping element.

An object of my invention is to provide a pump which will operate effectively within a minimum of space, such as in a well, which will be positive in operation and which will necessitate a minimum of moving parts. A further object is to provide a pump which will continuously perform its function in an efficient manner without disorder and which will not sand up or be subject to undue wear. A further object is to provide a pump in which any desired number of pumping instrumentalities can be operated in the bottom of a well by a single hollow shaft through which liquid is expelled from the well. My invention further involves a unique mechanism by which rotary motion of a tubular shaft through which liquid is expelled from the well is converted into transverse reciprocating action, of one or any number of pumping elements.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of a deep well showing my improved pump therein; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the lower end of the casing and of the pump housing, `'showing my improved pump; Fig. 3 is a section of the structure shown in Fig. 2 taken on the line 3 3 thereof; Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 2 showing one of the complete pumping elements; Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a portion of the well casing and pump housing showing an alternative construction of my invention; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal central section of one of the pump pistons employed in the structure shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. '7 is an end elevation of the piston shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawings, A indicates for illustrative purposes, a deep well from which it is desired to pump oil, water or any other liquid. This well is preferably lined by the usual string of metal casing B, the lower end of which is perforated or otherwise formed to permit liquid accumulating in the bottom of the well. My invention partly includes a comparatively short cylindrical housing C, resembling a shell having a cylindrical body wall l0, a lower end H and an upper end I2, the latter being removably attached by bolts I3 or any other suitable means to the body. Said housing is mounted upon the lower end of a tubular shaft D by the antifriction step bearing I4 on the lower end Il and journal bearing l5, the latter being inserted through the upper end l2 and the shaft limited from Vertical movement by the collar I6. Shaft D is eccentrically dis# posed to the axis of the cylindrical housing for the purpose to be hereinafter set forth and may resemble a string of sections extending upwardly from the bottom of the well where the housing is placed to above the well where any suitable outlet gland such as E is placed and through which liquid is pumped from the bottom of the well in substantially a continuous stream. Perforations i il admit liquid from the chamber within the casing into the housing. Preferably the housing is of less diameter than the inner diameter of the casing whereby liquid may circulate freely around the housing and the housing and its tubular shaft raised or lowered freely in the well. The housing is held from rotation and tightly engaged with the well casing by dogs I8 or any other suitable means which automatically bite into and engage the inner wall of the well casing when the housing is lowered by the tubular shaft D into the well.

The tubular shaft D is revolved by the drive gearing F or by any other suitable means. The lower end of this shaft is closed and liquid is pumped from the well into and up the shaft by means of one or more pumping elements G, Fig. 2 illustrating three such elements. Each pumping element consists of a pair of piston actuating force pumps H and I (see Fig; 4), which are coaxially disposed transverse tothe axis of shaft D. Each force pump has a cylinder secured by a circular flange 2l and bolts 22 to the wall of the shaft and projecting into and outwardly from and with its axis disposed diametrically to said shaft. Ihe inner end of each cylinder is closed and has a centrally disposed orifice 23 which is closed by a check valve 24, the latter opening inwardly into the shaft. Each valve 24 has a stud 25 extending inwardly and a single coil eX- pansion spring 26 engages over said studs and is adapted to urge the two inwardly facing check Valves closed. Reciprocable pistons J and K, respectively cooperate with cylinders H and I to assist in producing a pair of said force pumps,

Each piston is hollow and has an egress port 2T which is adapted to admit liquid from the housing C thereinto when the piston assumes extended positions. The inner end of each piston has an outlet 28 which transfers liquid from within during each extended or reverse stroke of the piston in the companion cylinder. The outlet 28 is closed by a check valve 29 during the inward or compression stroke of the piston, said valve freely reciprocating in a cage 3|] which is mounted upon the inner wall of the inner end of the piston. The outer end of each hollow piston has journaled therein by shaft 3|, an antifriction roller element 32, which is revoluble in a hori- Zontal plane and its periphery bears against the inner circular surface of the cylindrical housing C. The outer ends of the pair of pistons are coupled together by connecting yokes 33 which encompass the tubular shaft D freely, whereby the opposed pistons are made to reciprocate together, that is while one piston moves outwardly the companion `piston reciprocates inwardly and performs a compression stroke. During this operation, the outward stroke of one piston G, for illustration, transfers liquid from within through the valved passage 28 into the companion cylinder I and receives liquid there into from housing C through ingress port 21, while check valve 2A on cylinder I is held closed automatically by spring 26. Also during this movement the liquid in the opposite cylinder H is compressed and forced through the valved passage 23 on said cylinder against the luge of spring 26 into the tubular shaft D and thence upwardly and out of the upper end through the outlet provided by gland E.

By projecting the cylinder into tubular shaft D and causing it to radiate outwardly therefrom into housing C or casing B, a longer cylinder can be used and a longer stroke of the piston is thus made available, which increases the pumping production of the apparatus. This is an important advantage attained by the invention due to the narrow space which is usually available within the casing.

Pairs of the pumping elements are evenly distributed circumferentially about the axis of shaft D as many being employed as desired it being obvious that these pumping elements are operated simultaneously and in succession as the tubular shaft is revolved, thus projecting substantially a continuous stream of liquid upwardly through said shaft.

The invention thus provides means for converting the rotary motion of the tubular shaft through which the liquid is projected from the well, into the reciprocating motion of transversely disposed pumping elements which are carried by the lower end of said shaft, the structure described providing a connecting yoke between the outer ends of each companion set of pistons employed.

Other structure may be employed within the spirit of my invention for accomplishing the results attained, Figs. 5 to '7 inclusive disclosing an alternative construction. Referring to these figures, B represents the well casing, C the housing and D the tubular shaft upon which the housing is mounted in the same manner described above. Pairs of piston actuating force pumps L and M are coaxially disposed transversely to the axis of shaft D. Each force pump has a cylinder 40 rigidly mounted on the shaft as in the preferred construction and a piston 4|. Spring actuated check valved passage 43 as in the preferred form is provided on the inner end of each of the cylinders. Each piston 4| has a closed inner end lll and an open outer end, said inner end having passages 45 which are adapted to be closed by a check valve 46 during the compression stroke of the piston. Said valve has a plate stem 4l which slides in a pair of diametrically disposed longitudinal grooves 48 (see Fig. 6), in the inner wall of the piston and carries on its outer end a pair of antifriction rollers 49 which travel in a circular track 50, the latter being secured to the inner cylindrical Wall of housing C by means of bolts 5| or other suitable means. The extended movement of the piston on the plate stem 41 is -limited by the shoulders 52 so that the piston travels on the plate stem only suiciently in one direction to open the passages 45 and hold the piston from further movement in an inward direction while the cooperating cylinder extends from the piston and draws liquid thereinto from within the piston while companion check valve 46 is closed. Reverse action causes the valve to automatically close the passages 45, whereupon liquid in the cylinder is forced inwardly through the companion valved passage 43 into and up the tubular shaft D. This operation is produced automatically by the rotation of the tubular shaft D and due to the eccentricity of said shaft in relation to the cylindrical housing C in which it is journaled. Thus, as the shaft revolves, the f first portion of the circular movement of the plate stem imparted by the rollers 49 between the inner face of the cylindrical wall of housing C and its track 50, causes the piston L to close passages 45 by valve 46. Continued rotation of shaft D forces the liquid in coacting cylinder 48, inwardly into and upwardly through shaft D. Completion of this cycle of operation reverses cylinder 4D thus permitting valved passage 43 to close and causing passages 45 to open and liquid admitted into piston 4| to transfer into cylinder 40 in readiness to repeat this cycle of operation.

Obviously this construction permits of one or any number of single pumping elements arranged circumferentially and composed of a piston and cylinder, such as 4U and 4|, disposed coaxially and transversely to the axis of shaft D, and coacting with eccentric means for converting the rotary movement of a shaft into the transverse reciprocating movement of a pair of pumping elements.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a string of casing lining the wall of a well, a string of rotatable tubing extending into the Well from the surface of the ground, a cylindrical housing forming a chamber within and carried by the lower end of and in which said tubing is eccentrically journaled, said housing having an admission for liquid from the well, means for holding said housing xedly in said casing, a reciprocating Dump connected with the chamber within the housing and the space within said tubing adapted to conduct the discharge from the pump upwardly to the surface of the ground through saidr tubing, said pump having a cylinder extending into and radiating through the wall of said tubing and a piston reciprocable therein, the stroke of said piston being disposed transversely to the axis of said tubing, and means operable through the eccentricity of said tubing as related to the cylindrical wall of said housing for converting the rotary movement of said tubing into the reciprocable stroke of said piston.

2. In combination with a string of casing lining the wall of a well, a string of rotatable tubing extending into the well from the surface of the ground, a cylindrical housing secured in the lower end of said casing adapted to receive liquid from the wellfand in which the lower end of said tubing is eccentrically journaled, a reciprocable pump having a cylinder connected with the space within said casing and extending into and radiating outwardly from said tubing and having a piston the stroke of which is dispose-d transversely to the axis of said tubing, and means operable through the eccentricity of said tubing as related to the cylindrical wall of said housing for converting the rotary movement of the tubing into the reciprocable stroke of said pump'- 3. In combination with a string of casing lining the wall of a well, a string of rotatable tubing extending into the well from the surface of the ground, a cylindrical housing in the lower end of the casing having admission for liquid from the well and in which said tubing is eccentrically journaled, means for anchoring the housing in the casing to prevent movement thereof, a reciprocable pump connected with said housing and tubing having its stroke transverse to the axis of sai-d tubing and adapted to force liquid transversely from the housing upwardly through said tubing, said pump having a reciprocable piston and a cylinder extending into and radiating outwardly from said tubing whereby a maximum length of stroke of the piston is produced within the housing, and means deriving its movement from the eccentricity of said tubing as related to the cylindrical wall of said housing for converting the rotary movement of the tubing into the reciprocable stroke of said Pump.

4. In combination with a string of casing lining the wall of a well, a string of rotatable tubing extending into the well from the surface of the ground, a cylindrical housing in the lower end of the casing having admission for liquid from the well and in which said tubing is eccentrically journaled, means for anchoring the housing in the casing to prevent movement thereof, reciprocable compression pump members in said housing, each of said members having a piston and a cylinder extending into and radiating outwardly from said tubing, each of said pistons having a reciprocable stroke transverse to the axis of said housing and tubing, and means deriving its movement from the eccentricity of said tubing as related to the cylindrical wall of said housing for translating rotary movement of the tubing into reciprocable transverse strokes of said pistons.

5. In combination with a string of rotatable tubing extending downwardly into a well from the surface of the ground, a pump unit comprising a cylindrical housing normally maintained in xed position in said well and in which said tubing is journaled eccentrically, a cylinder and piston in reciprocable relation having a stroke transverse to the axis of said tubing and said cylinder extending into and radiating from said tubing and having valved pumping connection with said housing and tubing by which liquid is adapted to be forced transversely into and up said tubing and means operable by the eccentric movement between said tubing and housing for translating the rotary movement of the tubing into the transverse stroke of `said piston and cylinder.

6. In combination with a string of rotatable tubing extending downwardly into a well from the surface of the ground, a pump unit comprising a circular housing normally maintained in xed position in said well and in connection therewith to receive liquid thereinto and in which said tubing is eccentrically journaled and provided with a plurality of transversely arranged cylindrical chambers extending into and radiating outwardly from said tubing, pistons slidably mounted in said chambers and movable transversely to the axis of said tubing, means deriving motion from the eccentric movement of said tubing as related to said housing for reciprocating said pistons comprising connections between said pistons and antifriction bearings between said pistons and the wall of said housing whereby rotary motion of said tubing is translated into reciprocating motion of said pistons, and valve means associated with said pistons and cylinders for directing fluid into and out of said cylinders in predetermined sequence.

7. In combination with a string of rotatable tubing in a well, a pump unit comprising a circular housing in which the lower end of said tubing is eccentrically journaled, having a plurality of cylindrical chambers extending into and radiating from said tubing into said housing and arranged coaxially with their axis transverse to the axis of said tubing, pistons slidably mounted in said chambers, means for reciprocating said pistons through the rotation of said tubing eccentrically as related to said housing comprising connections between said pistons and antifriction bearings between the pistons and the circular wall of said housing so that rotary motion of said tubing will be translated into reciprocating transverse motion of said pistons, means for holding said housing stationary when the tubing is rotated, ports connecting each of said chambers with said tubing and valve means associated with the tubing and cooperating with said ports for directing fluid into said chambers from the well and from the chambers upwardly through said tubing.

8. In combination with a string of tubing adapted for rotation in a well, a pump unit comprising a circular housing rotatably mounted on a portion of said tubing, a plurality of cylinders transversely arranged within said housing and carried by extending into and radiating from said tubing, pistons in said cylinders, yokes connecting said pistons while the latter are in alternate inner and outer positions in their respective cylinders, antifriction bearings between the outer ends of said pistons and the inner wall of said circular housing whereby as the tubing revolves the eccentric relation between the tubing and housing causes the pistons to reciprocate inwardly and outwardly alternately, means for alternately admitting fluid to and discharging fluid from said cylinders into said tubing, and means for holding said housing stationary while said tubing is being rotated.

9. In combination with a string of rotatable tubing in a well, a pump unit comprising a circular housing in which the lower end of said tubing is eccentrically journaled, having a plurality of cylindrical chambers extending into and radiating from said tubing and arranged coaxially with their axes slidably mounted in said chambers, means for reciprocating said pistons through the rotation of said tubing eccentrically as related to said housing comprising yolies between said pistons and antifriction bearings between the pistons and the circular wall of said housing so that rotary motion of said tubing will be translated into reciprocating transverse motion of said pistons, means for holding said housing stationary when the tubing is rotated, ports connecting each of said chambers with the spaces within said tubing and housing and Valve means associated with said ports for directing fluid into said chambers from the Well and from the chambers into said tubing.

10. In combination with a string of upwardly extending tubing adapted for rotation in a Well, a pump unit comprising a circular housing, a plurality of cylinders transversely arranged, extending into and radiating from said tubing into said housing, yokes encompassing said tubing and connecting said pistons while the latter are in alternate inner and outer positions in their respective cylinders, antifriction bearings between the outer ends of said pistons and the inner wall of said circular housing whereby revolution of the tubing and the eccentric relation to said housing imparts reciprocating motion to the pistons alternately, check valves for alternately admitting fluid to and discharging fluid from said cylindersV f into said tubing, and means for holding said housing stationary during the revolution of said pistons and cylinders in a horizontal plane.

RALPH S. FILLMORE. 

